Technical Field
The invention relates to methods for ironing items of laundry, namely a method for ironing items of laundry, wherein the items of laundry are conveyed through an ironer gap between at least one ironer body and at least one circumferentially driven ironer band and are at the same time smoothed out, or a method for ironing items of laundry, wherein the laundry items are conveyed through an ironer gap between at least one ironer body and at least one ironer band and a lateral surface of at least one ironer body is heated with steam. The invention also relates to devices for ironing items of laundry, namely a device for ironing items of laundry, said device having at least one ironer body and at least one ironer band which is associated with the at least one ironer body and is circumferentially drivable, wherein the laundry items are conveyable through an ironer gap between the or the respective ironer body and the ironer band, or through an ironer gap between the or the respective ironer body and the ironer band associated with the same.
Prior Art
The ironing of all kinds of laundry items in both industrial laundries and in the household is effected using various devices. So-called chest ironers with at least one rotatingly drivable ironer roller and one semi-circular, heatable ironer chest associated with said ironer roller are used predominantly in domestic and industrial situations. Devices usually designated as band ironers which comprise at least one ironer body and at least one circumferentially drivable ironer band which is associated with the ironer body are also used.
The invention relates to band ironers. In the case of known devices of this type, the laundry items to be treated are moved along the stationary ironer body by the circumferentially driven ironer band. At the same time there is slip between the laundry item and the stationary ironer body. This leads to a smooth finish on the side of the laundry item abutting against the ironer body. The degree of gloss or the degree of smoothness of the finish can be influenced by adjusting the slip. If only a weak finish is desired, the slip has to be reduced, which can only be realized in the case of the known band ironers by reducing the circumferential speed of the ironer band. This reduces the ironer output. A further problem in the case of known band ironers is the heating of the lateral surface of the ironer body that comes into contact with the laundry items and forms a pressing surface. The feeding of the laundry items in the inlet region of the ironer gap is also a problem in the case of the known band ironers. The diverting of the ironed laundry items out of the outlet region of the ironer gap can also cause problems in the case of known band ironers.